I can't tell you how
long "Learn to Meditate" has been sitting on my life-goals list. Not on
my ho-hum to-do list, next to "schedule teeth cleaning" or "buy Huggies
Pull-Ups." I'm talking about the biggie, the list that serves as the
repository for my deepest desires for myself, like "Find Hubby" and
"Have Baby." That's how important I consider meditation to my overall
health and wellness.

So if it's so important, why haven't I tackled it before now? I guess I
wasn't ready. Though I'm sure I could've benefited from meditation at
earlier stages of my life, I was just too antsy to explore it (and yes,
I see the irony in that). Another big reason is that I'd always assumed
meditation required a lot of skill and knowledge. Not so. As it turns
out, meditation is just like so many other things in life. Sometimes
you just have to wade into the shallow end and start splashing around.
"There's no 'right' or 'wrong' with meditation," says intuitive guru
Michele Bernhardt, a multitasking healer, astrologer, and metaphysician
who's produced several guided meditation CDs. (Learn more at her
brilliant website, www.myinnerworld.com.)
''A
big
part
of meditation is your intention."

So at least intend to give meditation a shot, and in the process,
you'll be giving yourself the opportunity to relax, gain mental
clarity, and connect with your spirituality.
Go with the Flow

As I said, I hope you don't take a page out of my book by contemplating
meditation for a good ten years before actually trying it. To help you
move your intention into reality and make the whole shebang that much
more compelling, here's a list of tips:

Designate a
sacred space: For me, it's my walk-in closet. I love the girl-power
vibe -- the shoes, the dresses, the purses. Attached to my office, my
walk-in is a key part of my "Dana Zone." I've stocked it with a few
small pillows and a beautiful meditation mat Bernhardt gave me years
ago. In one of my shoe cubbies, I've stashed a gorgeous sand timer,
pictures of the ocean, candles, meditation CDs, and a player. Though
pillows and candles are the norm, trick out your own sacred space with
treasures that speak to you.

Create a
ritual: This can involve repeating a mantra, listening to
particular music (I like Gregorian chants, but you might prefer wind
chimes, Tibetan bells, etc.), or inhaling certain scents. "I think,
deep inside, most of us love a ritual," says Bernhardt. "So use sounds,
a candle, or some kind of scentlike incense or myrrh. Patchouli is also
perfect. With a scent, right away your body says, 'Okay, I'm ready.'"

Make sure
you're comfy: Sorry, that means no Spanx. (Kidding. Sort of.) If
you're not keen on sitting on the floor with your back erect and your
hands on your knees, you can sit in a chair. Just make sure you're
maintaining good posture, that you're positioned a few inches away from
the back of the chair, and that your feet are on the floor. Kneeling is
another possibility, though you might want to use a pillow for support.

Observe
your thoughts without "feeding" them: We discuss how tricky this
is below, but it becomes easier once you realize that it's all about
detachment. For instance, if, midmeditation, you think about the fact
that you need to take your DD to the doc, you say to yourself, ''I'm
having a thought about needing to take the baby to the pediatrician."
What you don't do is take that original thought to the next level, as
in, "Next Tuesday afternoon might work" or "I hope the poor little doll
doesn't need too many shots." Just let those snippets pass in and out
without reaction.

themotherload

"I've gotten much more deeply spiritual since I had my child. I
trace it directly to being pregnant with him. I was introduced to the
notion that our babies choose us as parents. Well, that terrified me to
my core. So, I started an intense inner dialogue with my unborn child
about who I really am, what kind of mother I hoped to be, my hopes and
dreams, etc. To do that, I had to really dig deep and explore the whole
'Who Am I? Why Am I Here?' business. It got me on the path that has led
to my becoming a meditation coach. I meditate daily and love it. "

-Katherine,
mama of one

The above is an excerpt from the book Momover: The New
Mom's Guide to Getting It Back Together (even if you never had
it in the first place!)
by Dana Wood, Foreword by Veronica Webb. The above
excerpt is a digitally scanned
reproduction of
text from print. Although this
excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the
scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.